The present system relates generally to brake control systems and more specifically to a brake pipe control system from both ends of the train and possibly at a point in between.
The control of a brake pipe of a train from ends of the train is well known as illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,013,323 and 4,056,286. This control is produced by radio communication between the locomotive at the head-end and the caboose at the rear-end of the train. Radio control of two locomotive consists in a train with the remote consists being substantially in the middle of the train is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,399. The radio car receives the signals from the master locomotive and operates to create locomotive control signals for the locomotives attached to the radio car. The radio car is not itself a locomotive. Radio communication between the head and mid-train and end of train unit or a multitude of cars is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,276 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,723.
In addition, end of train units (EOT) are provided and attached to a regular car which is the last car in the train and is in radio communication with the head of train unit. There may be one-way or two-way communication. A typical example is additionally shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,247.
The present disclosure is directed to a radio repeater or remote railroad car located within or at the end of the train that charges or exhausts the brake pipe in response to radio commands from the lead unit. The brake pipe control system includes a first controller at a first car at the lead end for controlling the brake pipe at the first car and transmitting, via a radio link, brake pipe control signals to a second controller in a remote car in the train. The second controller controls the brake pipe at the remote car in response to the brake pipe control signals from the first controller. If the second controller is on the last car and the last car does not include an independent end of train device, the second controller transmits brake pipe condition signals to the first controller. If the second controller is on the last car and the last car does include an independent end of train device, the first controller established separate communication links with the second controller and the end of train device. If the second controller is not on the last car and the last car includes an end of train device, the first controller established separate communication links with the second controller and the end of train device.
The remote or radio repeater car charges or exhausts the brake pipe in response to commands received from the first or head car end or unit which is generally a locomotive. It also has the capability of charging or exhausting the brake pipe as well as means for brake pipe cutoff required for brake pipe leakage testing. The radio repeater car includes a source of air pressure, a brake pipe controller and a radio module. In one embodiment the lead unit communicates with the radio repeater car in parallel to an end of train device EOT. If the radio repeater is the last car, the EOT device is mounted on the radio car. This parallel communication is secured by providing an end of car device at the lead unit. It senses the brake pipe conditions and transmits communication to the repeater car radio module.
In a second embodiment, the remote repeater radio module is capable of parallel communication to an end of car device at the lead locomotive as well as the end of train control device unit at the lead locomotive. In such case, the repeater radio module is capable of communicating with a end of train control device through a single channel.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, when considered in conjunction with accompanying drawings.